


Hey, Farm Girl!

by orphan_account



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Comfort, Confusion, Crushes, Cute Ending, Dating, Double Date, Drunken Confessions, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Jealousy, Love Confessions, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-19 08:56:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22341673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Brooklyn "Brooke" Hall is the new "farm girl". She just moved in from Zuzu City, where she worked at Joja Co. Waking up at 6:00 a.m to immediately tend to her animals and crops for hours on end is already a chore, but what happens when someone starts to take an interest in her? She is just a farmer girl, after all. Why would anyone (especially Alex, who she admittedly finds really attractive) even imagine a future with her? Some things just don't come across the right way.[DISCONTINUED- NO MORE UPDATES]
Relationships: Alex/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Alex/Player (Stardew Valley), Shane/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Shane/Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20





	1. Introductions

_Bzzt._ I look down at my watch. 2:00 p.m., only 3 hours left of work. Rubbing my eyes, I stretch out in my chair. Staring at a computer screen for this long really takes a toll on my eyes. I sigh, sitting back up and repositioning myself in my chair. Being in the customer service department, I assisted some 70 year old woman with one of our products being ‘crusty and ratchet’. When I start to explain, a feeling of immense frustration up in my abdomen and crawls up my spine. Suddenly, I hear the clicks of mouses of my coworkers, the whine of the fluorescent lights, and the whirr of the computers. They become louder and louder until I snap.

“You know what? I’m _SICK_ of this _SHIT.”_ I yell, slamming open the metal drawer that I stored the letter my grandfather gave me and snatching it out. I rip it open, and it reveals this message inside:

Dear Brooke,

If you’re reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. 

The same thing happened to me, long ago. I’d lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong. 

I’ve enclosed the deed to that place... my pride and joy: Honeywood Farm. It’s located in Stardew Valley, on the southern coast. It’s the perfect place to start your new life. 

This was my most precious gift of all, and now it’s yours. I know you’ll honor the family name, my girl. Good luck. 

Love, Grandpa

P.S. If Lewis is still alive say hi to the old guy for me, will ya?

My eyes widen as I read it over and over. _No way,_ I think. _A real farm!_ I whoop, trash my work-station after gathering all of my stuff, and I run out of there like I’m being chased by a pack of hungry wolves. 

“I quit! I hope I never lay my eyes on any of you hogs again!” At this point, there are 2 security officers coming after me, but right before they catch me I am off of the property. Sprinting to my car, winded, I scramble with my keys and put them into the ignition. The only thing that’s holding me back from going to Stardew Valley straight away is the fact that I still have a _lot_ of belongings in my apartment I need to pack. 

  
  


The first thing I did was look for my suitcase. The only things I will be needing are hygiene stuff, clothes, and definitely my white and brown stuffed animal cow named Moo Moo. I quickly shove a garbage bag full of my possessions into my suitcase. _Oh boy,_ I think to myself. _Here we go._ And on that note, I slide into my car and start the drive to the bus stop that will lead me to Stardew Valley. 

When I boarded the bus, the first thing I heard was a loud thumping noise. I looked around but I realized it was my nerves making my heart race so fast. Closing my eyes, I lean my head against the wall of the bus and imagine my new life on the farm. _Beautiful, green land, with plenty of happy and healthy animals. Crops of many varieties flourishing in the sun. A big, beautiful farmhouse. And the occupants of the farmhouse are me, and…_ bing! A loud noise interrupts my thoughts.

“Arriving in Pelican Town.” I scramble for my suitcase, stand up, brush myself off, and take a deep breath. _This is it,_ I think. _This is about to change your whole entire life. Don’t mess up._ I get off the bus, and a red-headed woman looking to be in her late 30’s is there. She waves to me.

“Hi! I’m Robin, the local carpenter.” She smiles, sticking out her hand. I subtly try to wipe off the sweat on my jeans and shake her hand.

“I’m Brooke Hall.” I say, trying to keep the shakiness out of my voice.

“Mayor Lewis sent me here to fetch you and show you the way to your new home. He’s there right now, tidying things up for your arrival. The farm’s right over here, if you follow me.” She turns around, gesturing for me to follow. I speed walk to catch up to her, and when I am almost about to be walking side-by-side with her, she stops in front of a very beaten up, overgrown looking lot of land. She turns around to me.

“This is Honeywood farm.”

I stand there, staring at her like this is some sort of cruel joke.

“What’s the matter? Sure, it’s a bit overgrown, but there’s still some good soil underneath that mess! With a little dedication you’ll have it cleaned up in no time.” She pushes. I nod and follow her to a tiny house, stepping over stray rocks and overgrown patches of grass.

“...And here we are, your new home.”

“Wow,” I utter. “This is not what I was expecting at all.” As she opened her mouth to reply, my front door slammed open.

“Ah, the new farmer!” An old man wearing suspenders says enthusiastically. “Welcome! I’m Lewis, mayor of Pelican Town. You know, everyone’s been asking about you. It’s not every day that someone new moves in. It’s quite a big deal!” He says, clearly trying to make me feel better about the disaster that surrounds me. I allow a smile.

“I’m certainly excited to meet everyone here. It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” I say. Lewis smiles.

“So... you’re moving into your grandfather’s old cottage. It’s a good house... very ‘rustic’.” He says, trying to break the ice a little bit. “Yeah, it’s cu-”

“Rustic? That’s one way to put it. ‘Crusty’ might be a little more apt, though.” Robin interrupts. I must look taken aback, as Mayor Lewis jumps in for me. 

“Rude! Don’t listen to her, Brooke. She’s just trying to make you dissatisfied so that you buy one of her house upgrades.” He snickers. “Anyway... you must be tired from the long journey. You should get some rest. Tomorrow you ought to explore the town a bit and introduce yourself. The townspeople would appreciate that.” Lewis says as he starts to walk away, but then he turns around.

“Oh, I almost forgot. If you have anything to sell, just place it in this box here. I’ll come by during the night to collect it. Well, good luck!” 

“Thank you! I’ll see you two around!” I wave at them as they leave. When they are completely out of sight, I turn back to the house. _Oh boy,_ I shudder. _What in the world have I gotten myself into?_

I head to the old, beaten down shed and try to pry the doors open. Taking a glance, I overview what’s in there. _A hoe, watering can, scythe, pickaxe, and a regular axe. Not bad,_ I smile.   
“I’ll get to this later. There’s really no rush,” I say to myself. Shoving the door shut, I smooth down my hair and make my way to town.

Walking this much is going to be a big adjustment for me, but I’ll definitely benefit from it. I’m not skinny, but I’m not heavy either. To put it in a way that’s understandable, when people look at me, they probably think, “She looks healthy!” but certainly not “She needs to go to the gym,” or “She could use a Big Mac.” Again, I lose myself in my thoughts as I pass what looks like an abandoned bus stop. I take a look at it, and quickly losing interest, continue my walk. The soles of my shoes are pretty much weeping from all of the uneven ground, but finally my feet hit flat pavement. Looking up, I see a cluster of buildings. _This must be the town plaza._ Walking ahead, I see a doctor’s office and a store called “Pierre’s to my left. To my right, there is a saloon. I open the doctor office’s door and walk in. 

The inside of the doctor’s office is very, uh, _blue._ At the front desk there is a beautiful woman with caramel-colored skin and red glasses. 

“Oh! Aren't you the one who just moved in?” She asks me. I notice she has a very soothing voice but a very happy personality.

“Yeah, actually! I’m Brooklyn Hall, but please feel free to call me Brooke,” I say shyly, trying to match her energy.

“I'm Maru. I've been looking forward to meeting you! You know, with a small town like this, a new face can really alter the community dynamic. It's exciting!” She nods at me. “Oh, also, Dr. Harvey is back there, if you wanted to meet him. Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite.” Maru giggles and points to the door. I thanked her, knock on the Doctor’s door, and enter. He turns around to look at me and I instantly flush, thinking I did something wrong. 

“Uh, hi, I’m Brooklyn, the new farmer…?” I stumble. His face instantly lights up and he jumps out of his chair.

“It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Harvey, the local doctor. I perform regular check-ups and medical procedures for all the residents of Pelican Town. It's rewarding work. I hope you'll find your own work equally rewarding, in time.” Harvey says very professionally, extending his hand. I shake it and discover he has a very firm grasp. “Feel free to stop by whenever you’d like. Oh, and don’t forget to set up an appointment! Keeping healthy is very important!” He mini-lectures me. I giggle and say goodbye and head on over to Pierre’s to start this process all over again.

The doorbell rings as I enter. The clerk at the counter waves at me. I wave back.

“Hey, it's Mrs. Brooke, the new farmer!” I nod. “I'm Pierre, owner of the local general store. If you're looking for seeds, my shop is the place to go. I'll also buy produce from you for a good price!” Pierre exclaimed. _Wow, he sure is a salesman at heart._ “A little agriculture could really inject new life into the local economy! “ He finishes.

“Thanks! I’ll be sure to drop by and check out your stock soon.” When I show no signs of purchasing anything at the moment, he loses interest and goes back to what seems like a crossword puzzle. _Huh._ When I take another glance around, I spotted a man in a ratty blue jacket in the aisles. I walk across the room, and I start to introduce myself.

“Hi, I’m Brooke, the new-” 

“I don't know you. Why are you talking to me?” He snaps. I feel myself turn red. Taken aback, I try to walk away, and of course, I bump into someone.

“Oof!” A middle aged woman cries out. Her red hair is in a braid.

“Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry...um, my name is Brooke and I just moved in-” Again, I get cut off. _What is with people interrupting in this town?_

“Oh! You aren't exactly how I imagined... but that's okay! I'm Jodi.

It's a quiet little town, so it's very exciting when someone new moves in! Having a farmer around could really change things.” Jodi smiles. She walks away to go buy some produce. _No time to talk?_ I shrug to myself, a little irritated. I shuffle past the shelves and into the back of the store. There are two women with brightly colored hair, green and purple. They turn to look at me. The one with the green hair begins to speak.

“Hello! You must be Brooke, the new farmer. I'm Caroline. My husband runs the general store here. And have you met my daughter, Abigail? She's the pale one with the purple hair.” Caroline snickers, clearly making Abigail embarrassed. She rolls her eyes.

“Oh that's right...I heard someone new was moving onto that old farm.

It's kind of a shame, really. I always enjoyed exploring those overgrown fields by myself.” Abigail winks. Her mom looks over at her, shocked.

“You told me you never went back there! That’s private property, Abby!” Caroline whisper-shouts. I giggle.

“It’s fine, really. I don’t mind if you want to come back now and then. It’s going to take a while to clear up anyways.” I say my goodbyes and walk out into the street. A woman and two kids are holding hands, walking in my direction. I smile at them. 

“Hi... Oh, did you want something?” She inquires.

“No, I’m just the new farmer. I wanted to say hello to everyone. My name is Brooke.” I shrug. She then nods and points to the two little kids at her sides.

“I’m Penny, and this is Jas and Vincent. I teach them. Say hi!” The little girl with the purple hair speaks up.

“... Hi…” Jas mutters, hiding behind Penny. Vincent says something.

“Oh, a stranger! My name's Vincent. Momma says not to talk to strangers... But you seem okay.” Vincent says excitedly. I laugh.

“You seem okay too, kiddo. See you around, guys!” In the distance, a big wooden cabin has a sign that reads, ‘Stardrop Saloon-open at 12:00p.m.’ I glance at my watch. _12:45._ Perfect! I jog over and enter the building. It is warm and cozy inside. Apparently, this is the place to be! I can easily count over 10 people inside. The only one I recognize is the man in the blue jacket, so I try to make some other friends. The girl at the counter waves me over.

“Hi!” I grin. She grins back at me, her blue hair covering part of her face.

“Ooh!... I can read it on your face. You're going to love it here in Pelican Town. This is where I work! So if you’re bored, just drop by in the evenings. Oh, I’m Emily.” Apparently, multiple other people heard that the new farmer girl dropped by, so people started coming up to me. _What a relief._ The first one to say anything was a heavier man with a mustache. I think he works here too. 

“Well hello there! I'm Gus, chef and owner of the Stardrop Saloon. Stop in if you need any refreshments. I've always got hot coffee and cold beer at the ready.” I smile, and when I open my mouth to say anything else, a man with long, red hair approaches me. I turn my head towards him.

“Ah, the new farmer we've all been expecting... and whose arrival has sparked many a conversation! I'm Elliott... I live in the little cabin by the beach. It's a pleasure to meet you.” Elliott smirks. _Why does he talk like that? He must be some sort of romantic._

“You too. I haven’t been to the beach yet.” I say. A woman, who must have been Elliott’s friend. Taps my shoulder. I turn around. _Jeez, I’m going to get dizzy._

“Hello, it's nice to meet you. You picked a good time to move here... The spring is lovely.” She says wistfully.

“The weather _has_ been great so far, let’s hope it stays that way.” I chuckle. She turns back to Elliott. I walk over to the other side of the bar, where an old woman and three older men sit. I take a seat next to them.

“Hi, I’m Brooklyn. Nice to meet you!” The woman begins to speak after sipping at her cup of beer.

“Hey, kid. The name's Pam. Don't be a jerk and we'll get along fine.” She raises her eyebrows at me playfully. A bigger, heftier man speaks up. 

“Er... hi. I'm Clint. I'm the town blacksmith. If you ever need to upgrade your tools, I'm your guy.” Clint says bashfully. I nod. I look at the youngest of the group. 

“Greetings! I'm Demetrius, local scientist and father. Thanks for introducing yourself! I'm studying the local plants and animals from my home laboratory. Have you met my daughter Maru? She's interested to meet you.” 

“Actually, I did meet her. Your daughter is a very intelligent woman. I think we’ll get along great!” I respond. He seems to gleam with pride. Finally, the last man speaks up.

“Ahoy there! It's nice to see young folk movin' into the valley. It's not very common these days.” He says with an accent. My watch starts to beep. It’s 6:00 p.m. I politely say goodbye and dart out. I need to go home. I start walking.


	2. Offers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the short chapter, I will add another one tomorrow. Love you. <3

When I reach my house, I breathe a sigh of relief.  _ That was exhausting.  _ I push open the door, and there is an eerie vibe inside. Shuddering, I turn on the fireplace and walk to my bathroom. I feel gross, and I need a shower. Turning the knob almost all the way to hot, I wait a couple of minutes for the water to heat up. I open the glass door and step inside. It’s a perfect temperature. Scrubbing honey and sweet milk scented shampoo into my scalp, I start to wonder what life will be like. A new home, new environment, new people, new job. Will I ever meet someone I actually like in such a small town? I  _ do  _ want to get married someday. I’m already 23, and time certainly is not slowing down. Hanging up my loofa, I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around me. I decide to keep my hair down while it dries, keeping it in its natural state; dark brown and wavy. 

I pull on an oversized pastel pink t-shirt with a paw print on it, and gray shorts. I mean, who’s going to see me in this? I flop down in my bed. The baby blue sheets and gray pinched comforter go well together, I notice. I ponder in my thoughts for awhile before finally dozing off.

I wake up to the sound of an alarm clock.  _ 6:00 a.m.  _ Great. Time to work. I rub my eyes and sit up. When I brush my hair and pull it into a ponytail, I make sure to pull out strands framing the sides of my face. I put on a green tank top, straight jeans, and some black Merrells on. Grabbing a granola bar, I head outside.

So far, I haven’t planted anything yet, but I plan to do just that today. I start the trek to town to buy some seeds. Closing my eyes, I let the cool morning breeze flutter through my hair. In the distance, I hear footsteps. It seems to be a dude, and he looks muscular. Shaking my head, I prepare to say hi. The mysterious man jogs up to me.

“Hey, you’re the new girl, huh?” He asks, smiling.

“Yeah, I’m Brooke.” I state confidently. He shuffles a little bit.

“Oh, uh, I’m Alex. What are you doing up this early?”

“I’m going to buy some seeds. Know anything about farming? I  _ could _ use some help.” I suggest. 

“Actually, I don’t really have time today...I have to workout. But I could come by tomorrow.” 

“Really? That’s great! Um, see you around?” I shrug. He nods, his chestnut hair bouncing with him. I wave, and then we part ways.  _ Sweet!  _ A little bit of pressure releases itself from my shoulders. Again, I see the stone pavement in front of me and not too much farther than that, Pierre’s. I pick up the pace a bit because I really don’t have any time to waste. Entering Pierre’s, the doorbell rings.

“Oh, it’s Brooke!” Pierre cheers. “Here to buy some seeds? It’s about time.” He chuckles.

“Yeah, I don’t have time to slack. So, what do you recommend? I don’t want to overwhelm myself, but I want a good selection, y’know?” He leans behind the counter and pulls out multiple baskets of seeds and plops them on the counter.   
“So, we have Blue Jazz, Cauliflower, Garlic, Green Beans, Kale, Parsnips, and Potatoes. Anything catch your eye?” Pierre shoves the baskets towards me.

“Um, I’ll take a couple cauliflowers, garlic, green beans, and potatoes. That should be good.” I start to fumble with my money when Pierre speaks.

“Hey, if you buy 4 Blue Jazz seeds I’ll give you 20% off.” He says, raising an eyebrow. I nod and hand over the money. “Thanks! Have a lovely day, Ms. Hall.”

“You too.” I walk out of the store and head to the saloon. Emily is standing at the counter.

“Oh, hello Brooke!” 

“Hey, Emily. What’s up?” I ask, pulling out a barstool and sitting.

“Nothing much. The afternoon is a little boring. It kinda sucks.” She sighs. I chuckle.

“Yeah, I bet it does. Oh, um, who is that guy that is always by the fireplace?” I whisper. She follows my gaze and her face falls.

“That’s Shane. He’s not, uh, very sociable, I mean...you could try. Here, buy him a beer. I’m sure he’d appreciate that.” She whispers back. She fills up two mugs with beer and hands them to me. “On the house.” She winks. I walk over to Shane’s table and place a beer down in front of him.

“Wha- I didn’t order this. Who are you?” Shane glares, his olive eyes shining. I plop down across from him. He widens his eyes as he takes another sip.

“I’m Brooke. I tried to introduce myself to you earlier, but you  _ interrupted me and ignored me.”  _ I snarl at him. He looks taken aback.

“No, I know I did that. I’m not an idiot. I’m just confused as to why you’re even talking to me. I don’t deserve anyone or anything.” Shane mutters, and with that, he walks out of the saloon.  _ I’m not giving up on this one.  _ I sit there and think about it, sipping my beer. When it hits 6:00 p.m, I start to walk home. Tomorrow will be an exciting day, that’s for sure.


	3. Smoothies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the short chapter! I had some writers block and I wanted to continue the story, so this is the best I have for right now.

My alarm clock, again, rings at 6:00 a.m. Lovely. I yawn, stretch a bit, and head to the bathroom. I take a quick shower, and put on a ribbed tank top with some jean shorts. Opening the fridge, I pull out some strawberries I bought from the city that I still have. I pop a few in my mouth and I am about to sit down when I hear a knock on my door. I jump a bit, and remember that I have a guest today. I rush to the door and open it. There’s Alex, rubbing the back of his neck. He, as always, is wearing his varsity gridball jacket.

“Hey.” Alex says.

“Uh, hi! I’m sorry, I forgot you were coming-but don’t go! Do you want some fruit? I have strawberries, bananas, blueberries, anything?” I ask, trying to have some sort of hospitality. He laughs.

“No, I’m good. I’m more of a meat person, myself.” He raises his eyebrows.

“Oh. So, I’m thinking of paying you maybe 1,500 gold per day of work?” I say, gathering my watering can and hoe. He snorts. 

“That’s it? With all this manpower on your side?” He attempts to show off. I roll my eyes.

“That’s all I can afford right now.” I sigh. A shadow of regret crosses his face, but only for a split second.

“I was only kidding. So, um. I have no idea what I’m doing. Can you please...uh, help me?” He says.

“Ah. You aren’t perfect after all, are you? Well, surprise! I have no clue either. Let’s figure it out. I have a couple of seeds, so I guess we just put them into the ground and water them?” I look at him. He shrugs. 

“I used to do that when I helped my mom plant flowers when I was little.” He mutters. 

“Great! Let’s get started. Here, take this hoe,” I say. He snickers. I, again, roll my eyes. “And start hoeing-” I giggle this time. “In rows. Does that make sense?” I ask.

“Yeah, I’ll try.” Alex says, and he walks down my steps and starts to drag it at the ground. I guess it works. Running back inside, I grab the basket of seeds I bought from Pierre’s.

“Which ones first? We have  Blue Jazz, Cauliflower, Garlic, Green Beans, Kale, Parsnips, and Potatoes.” I show him the basket. I am about to pull out the seed packets one by one when his hand reaches in at the same time. 

“Oh, oops. Sorry.” He grumbles. “How about Kale?” 

“That should work for now. Here, start putting these in the ground.” I say. We kneel down next to each other and work side by side exchanging a few words here and there. After a couple of hours, a good chunk of the field is planted, maybe half of an acre. 

“And I’m going to have to water this every day. What the heck.” I playfully complain. He laughs. 

“Hey, you’re the one who decided to live here, not me. I’m just here to do the easy work.” 

“I guess. Now do you want anything to eat? Or drink? Or something?” I suggest as we trudge back to my house.

“Sure. Do you have a blender? I can show you how to make a smoothie.” He grins. We make eye contact, and it’s weird, because we know we are thinking the same exact thing. 

“Last one to the door is a rotten egg!” I shout, and I take off sprinting. I hear his footsteps pounding slightly behind me on the dirt. I nearly trip over a rock that I haven’t cleared yet, and it slows me down just enough for Alex to get a good amount of distance in front of me. I see him practically leap up my stairs and slam on the door. He raises his arms in victory. 

“You suck!” I yell, and he laughs.

I open the fridge door and pull out the strawberries, and Alex is already working on peeling the bananas. I chop off the head of the strawberry and put it into the blender. We have a staring contest, and suddenly I notice how  _ green _ his eyes are. His eyes remind me of a leaf that has freshly bloomed, struck by the morning sun. I blink, in shock. Alex chuckles. 

“I win. Again. Get used to it.” 

“No way. Gimme that blender.” I say, and I pour it into two glasses. We go to sit on the porch to watch the sun slowly fall. As the sky nears purple. He sets his glass down.

“Well, I think I have to get going. My grandparents are probably wondering where I am by now.” 

“Oh okay. Stay here while I go get my wallet, I still have to-”

“Forget it,” Alex says, grabbing my shoulder as I turn to go inside. “I had fun today. Listen, let me know the next time you need my help, okay? It’s nice to have someone to talk to.” 

I blush. I  _ blush.  _ Thank god the deep-pink glow of the sun hides it. I smile.

“I had fun today too. Bye, Alex.” 

“Bye, Brooke. See you around.”


	4. Miko

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I apologize for the short chapter as I had to do school and I started playing Animal Crossing, haha! I hope you enjoy this mostly wholesome chapter. [WARNING: MINOR MENTION OF VERBAL ABUSE!]

I watch Alex leave. He runs his hand through his hair as we walks down my path, not really caring if he “fixed” it or not. I pick up his glass and bring it inside to my now empty home. Sighing, I bring the glasses to the sink and I decide to leave them there for the night. Dirt is under my fingernails and I feel the sweat still on my face from working hard today. Turning off the kitchen light, I head into the bathroom to shower. This might not be as bad as I thought, I think, turning on the shower. I decide to keep it at the middle temperature, since I am already a little warm. The water runs down my body, which I am really insecure about, never once in my life have I been complimented on my body. I don’t really have the ideal “hourglass” type of body. As I scrub in my shampoo, my train of thought begins to go towards my father who used to berate me on my looks, saying that no man would ever want me and the only thing I was good at was being a jealous little slut. I rub my face and breathe in deep. I don’t talk to him anymore, obviously. I need to stop thinking about him. 

In an attempt to think of something different, I turn my thoughts towards Alex. He’s cocky, definitely, but I can tell he is hiding something. I enjoyed having him on my farm today though, regardless of what he was keeping from me. After all, we just met. I turn off the shower and get ready for bed, tossing on the same pink shirt and gray shirt pajamas from yesterday. I toss and turn before finally, I get to sleep.

My alarm beeps at 6:00 a.m., like usual. I rub my eyes and stare at the ceiling for a while until I hear a knock at the door. Quickly, I jump up and rush to the door, doing my best to smooth out my hair and make myself look like I wasn’t just dead asleep 15 minutes ago. Turning the brass doorknob, I open my door and see a plump, older woman standing outside my door with a dog sitting by her side.   
“Uh, hello-“ I start.   
“Hi! I’m Marnie, and I run the ranch just a couple minutes south from here. I found this dog running around and I thought you might be interested in having him, because a dog never hurts anyone on a farm, am I right?” She laughs. I smile a little bit, confused.   
“Sure, I mean, I don’t have the supplies or anything but it’ll do, because he…or is it a she?”  
“It’s a he.”  
“Oh, it'll do because he’s such a cutie!” I grin, smiling at the tri-color australian shepherd, who is currently panting, somehow looking adorable. Marnie is visibly excited.   
“I’m so glad! What will you name him?” She asks.   
“Hmm…I dunno, he looks like a Miko to me. Miko it is!” I announce. We exchange a few more words and she leaves the dog with me on my porch. Silently, I face palm. I love dogs, but how am I going to take care of him, the farm, and maintain relationships with people around me? This is nuts. Pushing aside that thought, I bend down to rub Miko behind his ears. Maybe I can make an excuse for Alex to help me with him too?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello readers! Thank you all so much for reading my fic, it means so much more than you think. <3


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